Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation, Andre Ethier and wife Maggie will dedicate Maggie and Andre Ethier Learning Center at Union Rescue Mission Thursday

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF), Dodger Andre Ethier and wife Maggie will be on hand for the ribbon cutting and grand opening of the Maggie and Andre Ethier Learning Center at the Union Rescue Mission (URM), 545 South San Pedro Street in downtown Los Angeles, at 12:00 p.m. Thursday, December 4. This event is part of the Dodgers and LADF's 2014 Season of Giving, a community-focused campaign that seeks to improve the lives of children through December.

"I've enjoyed volunteering at URM since I became a Dodger," said Ethier. "Knowing that the Learning Center will serve the mission for years to come makes this project very special to me."

The Maggie and Andre Ethier Learning Center at URM was made possible by a $100,000 grant from LADF and Ethier that was presented in June. This marked the second contribution by the LADF to URM, the first was in 2013, and both donations were made in order to start the renovation of the Learning Center and provide scholarships and educational support. In August, LADF, was joined by 50 volunteers from various Dodger departments, Dodger RBI players and Habitat for Humanity of Greater LA for a day of painting, one of the final steps in completing this project.

"We are so excited the L.A. Dodgers and Andre and Maggie Ethier have teamed up to completely transform Union Rescue Mission's all important Learning Center," said Reverend Andrew Bales, CEO of Union Rescue Mission. "The Maggie and Andre Ethier Learning Center will play an integral part in the lives of all at URM."

The Maggie and Andre Ethier Learning Center at URM had the support of several partners including the Dodgers, Habitat for Humanity of Greater Los Angeles, Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising, Ecovations, Kimberlina Whettam & Associates, O'Bryant Electric Inc., MS Rouse Company, Inc., Morrow Meadows Corporation, Nahib Youssef, Design Materials and Encore Commercial Flooring, Sherwin-Williams, Interior Services | Draperies, Blinds & Shades and WB Signs.

Ethier has been active in the LA community since joining the club in 2006, having dedicated most of his time toward raising awareness of hunger and homelessness in LA for URM since 2007. The Dodger outfielder has also served food to the homeless at the Weingart Center on skid row in Los Angeles. In addition to annual visits to the URM, Ethier has supported several Make-A-Wish Foundation projects and has played host to holiday shopping sprees for underserved youth and Carne Asada Sunday events at Dodger Stadium with proceeds benefitting LADF and URM. He has also donated his time on several hospital visits, community caravan appearances and autograph sessions for Dodger fans throughout greater Los Angeles. Ethier is also one of four players currently being featured on milk cartons in the School Fuel program in the Los Angeles Unified School District.

Parties interested in support of this season and LADF programs can visit www.dodgers.com\ladf. Nonprofit organizations who would like to request an in-kind holiday donation from the Dodgers should visit www.dodgers.com\donations.

Complete details on the Dodgers' and LADF's Season of Giving events will be distributed to media prior to each event. Members of the media can contact the Dodgers' Public Relations department with questions by calling (323) 224-1301.

About Union Rescue Mission

Union Rescue Mission (URM) is dedicated to serving men, women, and children experiencing homelessness. They provide comprehensive emergency and long-term services to guests to help them escape the dangerous streets of Skid Row. Today, they are one of the largest rescue missions of our kind in the United States, and the oldest in Los Angeles. Since 1996, the Union Rescue Mission has partnered with the Los Angeles Unified School District to develop an onsite adult learning center at its downtown shelter. Each year the Learning Center provides education and vocational training for over 200 homeless men and women living at the shelter. The Learning Center helps guests gain critical vocational skills, math and English skills to help prepare men and women to find work and become contributing members of society.